Last month we sent the club your questions and comments and following a discussion with Tom Gorringe, the new Supporter Liaison Officer, we are glad to be able to release their answers.
We will be meeting the club’s chairman Mehmet Dalman next week and will follow up on some of the answers they have given. The club has provided some useful information on a range of issues from governance and club colours to ticketing and bike racks we are grateful for that.
However, we are disappointed that we have not had a commitment to wearing blue at away matches. The club says the policy is to wear our ‘primary’ club colours whenever possible and this is something we can raise with them again.
Major Issues
Is there now a clear timescale for the conversion of all of VT`s debt to equity (as he himself said would happen) to make the club virtually debt free?
As reported previously, Tan Sri Vincent Tan is working towards achieving this stated aim. There are no official timescales to report at this time, though the conversion to equity process is a positive work in progress.
As the vast majority of the club’s executive directors are not based in the UK, how and where do board meetings take place (e.g. video or phone conference) and does VT take part in those meetings (if so, in what capacity)?
The majority of the Board are based in UK (Mehmet Dalman, Steve Borley, Michael Issac, Michael Filiou and one executive board member, Simon Lim, Cardiff City CEO), with the remainder (Derek Chee Seng Chin, Meng Kwong Lim and Datuk Vincent Lye
Ek Seang) in Malaysia. Board meetings are held in accordance with Articles of Association and conducted via teleconference. Tan Sri Vincent Tan is not a director and therefore does not attend board meetings unless specifically invited.
Has the club fully embraced the SLO role as outlined in the UEFA handbook i.e. the document as a whole rather than just parts of it?
Yes and we believe the role will get stronger. This is aimed to be the start of a structured approach to supporter communications moving forward. There are also a number of projects that we are working on with yourselves which will begin to come to
fruition in the coming weeks and months ahead.
What are the current shareholding percentages at the club? Considering those percentages, is it fair to portray Cardiff City as a Malaysian football club, or even a Malaysian owned football club?
Cardiff City FC is a Welsh football club. By end of November, our majority shareholder, Tan Sri Vincent Tan will hold 89.09% of shares, ample to control the club from company law perspective.
Are football transfers now being funded purely by Sky TV money?
No
Can the team wear the blue strip every time possible for away games?
As is the general precedent set across leagues, all clubs wear their primary kit wherever possible, including away games. As is then general procedure when this is not possible clubs will then decide which colour they are to wear in accordance with the
referee. For example we are unable to wear blue against West Ham, Aston Villa or Crystal Palace. Like every other football club we will wear our primary colour whenever possible. After this, depending on the clash we will wear one of our alternative kits.
General Questions and Comments
When will we be shown the results of last year’s online survey of fans?
This survey is now 18 months old and as such is unlikely to bear a reasonable view of current fan feeling, though we can present the Trust with a copy the results in our November 29th meeting. In addition we will be looking at future opportunities to pose
questions on certain club issues.
When will the fans forum which you promised be set up?
The next forum will take place with all Ninian Stand season ticket holders and will take place before Christmas. More details on this to follow shortly.
Why doesn’t Cardiff run players’ evenings where the supporters can ask questions of current players and the manager?
We have periodically. Future senior squad Q&A appearances will be reviewed at a later date as schedules allow. In addition we will be holding an Academy fundraising event in the New Year, while the Norman Whiteside event takes place before the Manchester United game, of which the Trust have been invited. Cardiff City’s community work and player appearances actually eclipses many other clubs in the
country, while on a match day over 7,000 supporters have the opportunity to hear players answer questions across hospitality areas and in the Family Stand. There are more avenues than a player or manager evening, though this will also be reviewed in
coming months.
I notice an increase in persons using cycles to attend home games. The cycle stands are inadequate. Are cycles going to be given proper secure cycle stands of a type that the entire cycle can be secured to and not just 1 wheel as this often results in just
finding the wheel with no cycle attached upon return?
We welcome an increase in cycles and an increase in cycle rack provisions will be undertaken as part of the Ninian Stand extension. In addition we have had no reported issues of any bikes being stolen.
This season we have a Specialist Coffee outlet under the Ninian stand. Is it possible for one of these outlets to be located in the corner of the Grandstand/Canton stand? (There is always a queue from 1.30pm onwards and trying to squeeze past everyone
with coffee in one hand and my walking stick in my other I spill the coffee on most occasions and twice this season had the coffee completely knocked it out of my hand.)
Room is tight to offer another specialised vendor and we accept that while our density is better than most stadia, it does become crowded at peak times. We will speak to the current vendor about supplying trays. In addition we will be passing the feedback onto our caterers to see if there is anything else they can do.
Congratulations on the £1m pledge to local community charities. How were the charities chosen and will there be a formal application system next year?
We have set up an email thanksamillion@cardiffcityfc.co.uk so charities can put themselves forward to be considered. These will then be contacted at the time of selection. We would encourage a nomination from the Trust or supporters groups to be considered for this process. It is also worth noting that all charities selected were local and any national charities had the cheques addressed to the local addresses.
Can you get the Trust and Supporters Club involved in a fund raising evening Mid-Season for your chosen charity and get current players involved?The evenings theTrust have done have all been successful as have the supporters’ club. A joint venture from all sides would at least show to everyone both inside and more importantly outside the club that we are all working together for the club.
An event that benefits the Academy or Community Foundation may be a good idea. Letus know what you have in mind and we will help facilitate where possible.
There is a lack of Welsh language on correspondence and club branding.
We will look into this and make amendments and additions where possible. The club takes its national identity seriously.
Will you consider a Safe Standing area when the stadium is redeveloped?
We already have one in the Canton Stand.
Ticketing issues
Can you provide free tickets for children at friendlies?
The club feels that giving tickets away for free devalues them and therefore a nominal value should be charged to prevent misuse. We will however make exceptions for certain charity or community commitments on an individual basis.
Will you follow Stoke’s lead and offer free travel to away games?
We are looking at this for some games this season and are already offering subsidised travel to Norwich. This will form part of a wider strategy to improve the experience of our fans traveling away, while there will also be further initiatives to reward all fans travelling.
If not, will you take a lead by introducing a £20 reciprocal price cap for visiting fans, in
line with Swansea, Newcastle and West Brom?
We are looking at entering into reciprocal agreements with some clubs reduction, with Crystal Palace and Sunderland agreed.
Why are independent travelling supporters treated as second class citizens? Travel groups pre order tickets for matches reducing the chances of a ticket for other fans and offers seem to be by way of cheap coach travel rather than reduced ticket prices which
would reward all supporters.
They are not classed in the manner described, promotions will vary between ticket and travel initiatives – as above.
Can you stick to an away ticket allocation policy? (Previously the club had stated that preference would be given to those supporters who had attended a certain number of away matches last season – this policy was suspended for the Fulham game, where any registered supporter could purchase a ticket. Tickets sold out within 24 hours and those, like me, who had met the qualifying criteria were left without a ticket.)
The travel club meets on Thursday and a criteria for forthcoming games will be determined. Over last season and this season two stage opportunities have been deemed as the fairest method of qualification.
Can we have a loyalty scheme for fans who go to most away games as well as home games so that, for example, once you have done at least 8 away games, the ninth either have subsidised travel or subsidised ticket price?
We are already investigating the possibility of employing a loyalty scheme which we will look for fan involvement on to ensure it is fair and meets fan needs. However, this is a big project and will not be in place this season.
Can away ticket notification be emailed to season ticket holders, so you don’t have to keep checking the website?
This has already happened, last ticketing update was sent on November 14th. Supporters are also encouraged to follow our official social media accounts on Twitter (@CardiffCityFC), Facebook (CardiffCityFC) and Google+ (+CardiffCityFC) for regular
updates on ticketing and more.
The nature of the season ticket mailing was impersonal and could be improved.
We will look into this for next season.
Ground and club shop
Cars are not allowed to exit car park onto Sloper Road (beyond the time allowed for safe pedestrian egress) until all coaches have left, causing undue delays. How can you resolve this?
This is not the case – the coaches are allowed to leave as soon as the road closure is lifted, the cars leave freely behind. We must stress that cars are not waiting for the buses to fill.
Can the Men of Harlech words shown on the advertising displays were actually be in sync with the music?
This forms part of our on-going work with ADI in this area.
Can you remove the graphic display under the stand by aisle 114 which recalls our defeat by Portsmouth in the FA Cup final? It depresses me every time I see it!
As per our Carling Cup Final appearance it was still a historic moment for the club, especially when considering our Championship status against teams from the top flight. Despite the results we should all feel proud of the achievement in reaching both finals.
Why has there been an unacceptable delay in the “change kits” being released? It is October and only now do we get a choice of shirt. The kit should have been available at the start of the season
It is a regular policy to have a phased kit launch. Alternative kits have gone on sale this season sooner than has been the case in some previous years. We had planned to place them on sale earlier, however there was an issue with the delivery that delayed matters outside of our control.
Also in relation to the club shop – why there is a lack of retro shirts?
We have changed supplier in this area. There will be a new, more substantial range in the store very shortly. There is still limited retro stock in the megastore at the stadium in the interim before the new stock arrives.
Can the Club put pressure on Arriva Trains Wales to provide at least an adequate service and a commitment to improving the service on match days?
We now have dialogue with Arriva Trains Wales, but their main stakeholder is Welsh Assembly Government. We would like to extend a similar offer to that currently provided by Cardiff Bus of a family of five ticket for £5 with your match ticket, althoughthis is proving difficult.
What a great evening of football chat was the Trust-organised reunion to celebrate the 20th anniversary of winning the old Third Division title and the Welsh Cup.
